Setting a blistering pace right out-of-the-gate, Tom Olson of Antioch, IL.
and Chicago area partner Hanley Seamus were “on fire” as the Professional Musky
Tournament Trail made it’s deepest venture yet into the southern-most realms of
this amazing “Monarch of Freshwater” and a first ever visit to Missouri’s
awesome Pomme de Terre Lake May 21st & 22nd … boating five
fish on Saturday, three of which exceeded the 36-inch minimum for this event,
that included a 38.50, a 40.75 and day ones incredibly fat $500 Big Fish Award
winning 45-incher, building what proved to be an insurmountable lead as they
went on to claim 1st Place and a total of $11,300 for their effort.

Tom, a very successful member of the PMTT since the first event seven years
ago, was able to develop a pattern early on while pre-fishing that held up
throughout a week that saw air and water temperatures on a steady rise as high
pressure, blue-bird skies and increasing angling pressure made these elusive
fish a bit skittish and even harder to target than is normally the case … for
the majority competing here this weekend. “We looked for clearer water over
deeper flats, creek arms and such that had lots of baitfish in them”, shared
Tom. “Waiting as they moved up in the water column slightly we would employ a
planer board to get a Believer crank bait out to the side of the boat and back a
relatively short 25 to 30 feet or so while moving along at 3.5 to just over 4
m.p.h. to target these fish.” He went on to add, as did everyone who was able to
contact these “Show Me State” Musky, “What an impressive system. Every fish that
came to the boat appeared to be much larger than the tape would register with a
weight / girth / length ratio that seemed almost unreal!”

Taking 2nd Place and a check for $2,700 reigning PMTT/Ranger Boats
World Champs, Ohio’s Kevin Selders and Mike Money utilized natural colored Tuff
Shad crank baits in mid-lake and upper-river basins to continue what is fast
becoming a dominating display of consistent Top 10 finishes as they fine tune
and adjust their deep water tactics.

Terri DuBe’ of Walker, MN. and partner Diana Mindar of Aurora, IL. were also
able to figure out the deeper suspended pattern as they trolled a white Lil’
Ernie crank bait over 60 foot depths to register and release a 43.50-inch specimen near the dam.

Rounding out the top five are two brother acts. 4th Place and
$1,350 went to Iowa brothers Virgil & Stan Harrison, the self-proclaimed
“Geriatric Team”, when Stan stuck the biggest fish of his 71 years, a hefty
41.25-incher.

Dan Peckels and Jerry Rzepka of Pewaukee, WI. also made their second top 10
finish in a row by trolling Cisco Kid cranks along deep timber to take a
39.50-inch Musky for 6th Place, taking the early lead in the 2005 Top
Gun points race.

Missouri Department of Conservation’s Muskellunge Program Advisor, Mark Boone
was on hand to welcome the country’s best Musky anglers to Pomme while sharing
pertinent information on this often overlooked system. “It seems that we (the
MDC) are seldom, if ever mentioned when talking of southern Musky fishing even
though we have had a great fishery for nearly 40 years now”, said Mr. Boone
after the closing ceremonies. “It is our hope that after seeing the tremendously
fat, healthy fish we have here, waiting in great numbers, to give any hopeful
Musky angler a great experience, that this trend will soon change.” Tournament
Director Tim Widlacki echoed the sentiments of all in attendance when thanking
the entire community surrounding this 7,800-acre reservoir, "What an incredible
and interesting fishery, simply and consistently the fattest fish we have ever
seen in a system!”

Special thanks go out to the fine folks at Ranger Boats, Mercury Marine,
Musky Hunter Magazine, Heckel’s Marine, Crash’s Landing, North Country Adventure
Television and all associate and contributing sponsors, as well as Host Site
Sponsors; Eagles Nest Resort, Eagle River Area Chamber of Commerce and Visitors
Center, Treelands, Hayward Country Inns & Suites, Medina Center and of course
the Morehead Tourism Commission … without who’s continuing support none of this
would be possible today.

Learn from the Pros ... be a part of the action ... and help to show your
support for Musky fishing. Anyone can join the PMTT and enter this fast-growing
and addictively exciting competition ... and everybody … as always …is warmly
invited to come out and join the fun. The next event is in Eagle River, WI June
25th and 26th.

To register or obtain more information on the 2005 PMTT or any remaining
Qualifier, please visit them on the Web @